S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
9812
I N A S S E M B L Y
February 9, 2018
___________
Introduced by M. of A. NOLAN -- (at request of the State Education
Department) -- read once and referred to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to providing for aid for
print disabled students for the purchase and use of instructional
supports
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Section 4210 of the education law, as amended by chapter
350 of the laws of 2017, is amended to read as follows:
§ 4210. Aid for PRINT DISABLED, blind or deaf students. 1. a. Whenever
a PRINT DISABLED, blind or deaf person, who is a citizen of this state
and a student in actual attendance at a college, university, technical
or professional school, including agriculture and technical institutes
and state institutes of applied arts and sciences, located in this state
and authorized by law to grant degrees, or licensed private career
schools as defined in article one hundred one of this title and located
in this state, other than an institution established for the regular
instruction of the blind or deaf, shall be designated by the trustees
thereof as a fit person to receive the aid hereinafter provided for,
there shall be paid by the state for the use of such student a sum not
to exceed four thousand dollars per annum, subject to terms and condi-
tions prescribed by the commissioner in regulations and within the
limits of the appropriation therefor, with which to provide such
students with support to read, including the employment of persons to
read to such student and/or the purchase of technology to assist the
student in reading from text-books and pamphlets in his or her studies
at such college, university or school, or to aid such student, in
receiving instruction in such studies.
b. The trustees of any institution meeting the requirements of this
section shall submit reports in such form and at such times as
prescribed by the commissioner identifying the number of students eligi-
ble to receive aid pursuant to this subdivision and shall estimate the
funds needed to support such students as provided herein. The commis-
sioner shall advance twice during the school year to each such institu-
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14654-01-8
A. 9812 2
tion such estimated amounts within the limits of the annual appropri-
ation provided therefore.
c. At the conclusion of the academic year for which such funds are
provided, each institution receiving funds pursuant to this subdivision
shall submit to the commissioner a final accounting for the use of such
funds and any additional reporting requirements prescribed by the
commissioner in regulations and shall return any unspent funds.
1-A. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE TERM "PRINT DISABLED" SHALL
MEAN A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY WHO EXPERIENCES BARRIERS TO ACCESSING
INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL IN NON-SPECIALIZED FORMATS, INCLUDING AN INDIVID-
UAL DESCRIBED IN SECTION 121(D)(2) OF TITLE 17, UNITED STATES CODE.
2. Such moneys shall be paid annually, after the beginning of the
school year of such institution, by the commissioner of taxation and
finance on the warrant of the comptroller, to the treasurer of such
institution, on his presenting an account showing the actual number of
PRINT DISABLED, blind or deaf students matriculated and attending the
institution, which account shall be verified by the president of the
institution and accompanied by his certificate that the trustees have
recommended the students named in said account as hereinbefore provided.
3. The trustees of any of the said institutions shall recommend no
PRINT DISABLED, blind or deaf person, who is not regularly matriculated,
and who is not in good and regular standing, and who is not working for
a degree from the institution in which he or she is matriculated; and no
PRINT DISABLED, blind or deaf person shall be recommended, who is not
doing the work regularly prescribed by the institution for the degree
for which he or she is a candidate. The moneys so paid to any such
institution shall be disbursed for the purposes aforesaid by and under
the direction of its board of trustees.
4. Funds appropriated in the two thousand seventeen--two thousand
eighteen academic year and thereafter for the purposes of this initi-
ative shall be allocated on a first-come, first serve basis based on the
order of applications received by the commissioner, in a timeframe and
manner prescribed by the commissioner in regulations.
5. Funds allocated pursuant to this section shall supplement not
supplant any aid provided and/or devices currently used by the college,
university, technical or professional school, including agriculture and
technical institutes and state institutes of applied arts and sciences
or licensed private career schools as defined in article one hundred one
of this title, for the purposes of this section.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.